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CHAPTER14
Drake had madegood time getting to the fishing hut, speeding all the way. He smiled, thinking about his first meeting with Cassie and how she’d let him off on a warning. This time, she’d give him a ticket if she was the one pulling him over.
Margaret was just coming out of the hut carrying a fishing pole and tackle box when Drake pulled up in front of the shack.
Her eyes widened, and she started to duck back into the shack.
Drake dropped out of the truck. “Margaret, it’s me, Drake.”
Her face cleared, and she smiled. “Damn it. You had me scared for a minute.”
He hurried toward her. “I need to know two things.”
The older woman smirked. “Nice to see you, too.” She lifted her chin. “Shoot.”
“Did Greenway have a construction job in Idaho Falls right before the addition at the lodge?”
Margaret’s eyes narrowed. “Rings a bell.” She touched a finger to her chin. “Yes. Mr. Greenway sent Frank to manage it. It was a test to see if he could handle a project all by himself.”
“And the crew?”
“All from Idaho. Also, a test to see if he could handle staffing issues.”
“Did any of the Idaho crew move to Eagle Rock after they completed the Idaho project?”
“No.”
He’d known the answer before she’d said it. And he knew who’d fathered Beth’s child.
Margaret’s eyes rounded. “It was Frank, wasn’t it?”
“That would be my guess.” He pulled Margaret forward and kissed her forehead. “Thank you and your beautiful mind.” Drake spun and ran toward the truck.
“Any time. And if you want to go fishing, you know where to find me,” she called out.
“You’re on!” he yelled back as he climbed into the truck.
He drove even faster back to town than he had heading out, coming to a skidding halt in front of the sheriff’s office. Cassie’s SUV wasn’t there. The sheriff was just climbing out of his service vehicle when Drake rolled down his window. “Where’s Cassie?”
The sheriff looked around as if surprised her vehicle wasn’t there. “I don’t know. She was here when I went out on a call.”
“Our killer is Frank Matson. Where can I find his house?”
The sheriff gave him the address. “I’m coming with you.”
“I’m not waiting.” Drake shifted into reverse and roared out of the parking lot, headed north out of town. He prayed Cassie had gone home to her ranch, not out to Frank’s place to question him about the Greenway employees who’d worked the Idaho project. If she had, she’d be walking into a whole lot of trouble. The man had killed Beth. Then he’d killed Earl to keep him quiet, and he’d already attempted to kill Cassie and him.
Drake pushed the accelerator all the way to the floorboard, pushing Hank’s truck over one hundred miles per hour. He was going so fast, he could barely slow down enough to make the turn off the highway toward the stately house perched on top of the hill. He powered up the concrete driveway and skidded to a stop before he cleared the shadows of the trees. The house was further up the rise.
Drake’s heart plunged to his knees.
Cassie’s SUV was parked in front of the house, along with a white truck with the Greenway Construction logo printed on the side panel.
Drake slammed his truck into park and jumped out. Swinging wide, he came up to the side of the house with the fewest windows and closest to Cassie’s SUV.
A movement on the front porch caught Drake’s attention.
Abby Matson was inching up to the door, carrying a garden hoe like a baseball bat.
